Ethics

 

Vermont Law
Follow these links for the laws relating to unprofessional conduct applicable to all professions regulated in Vermont and for those pertaining specifically to Alcohol & Drug Abuse counselors:
3 V.S.A. § 129a. Unprofessional conduct
33 V.S.A. § 810. Unprofessional conduct

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Ethical Standards for counselors from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Licensing Rules. These standards were derived from The National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) code of ethics at the time the Rules were written. Language is identical except that reference to NAADAC members was replaced with "professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor."

Naadac continues to review and modify Ethical Standards and it is a professional responsibility to stay up to date with standards as they evolve. In the case of a conflict between NAADAC standards and those in the Administrative Rules, adherence to the highest level of ethical standards is advised.


Ethical Standards for Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors

Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselors are responsible health care professionals who believe in the dignity and worth of human beings. In the practice of their profession they assert that the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and justice must guide their professional conduct. As professionals dedicated to the treatment of alcohol and drug dependent clients and their families, they believe that they can effectively treat its individual and familial manifestations. Professional alcoholism and drug abuse counselors dedicate themselves to promote the best interests of their society, of their clients, of their profession and of their colleagues.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES

Principle 1: Non-Discrimination
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not discriminate against clients or professionals based on race, religion, age, gender, disability, national ancestry, sexual orientation or economic condition.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall avoid bringing personal or professional issues into the counseling relationship. Through an awareness of the impact of stereotyping and discrimination, the counselor guards the individual rights and personal dignity of clients.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall be knowledgeable about disabling conditions, demonstrate empathy and personal emotional comfort in interactions with clients with disabilities, and make available physical, sensory and cognitive accommodations that allow clients with disabilities to receive services.

Principle 2: Responsibility
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall espouse objectivity and integrity, and maintain the highest standards in the services the counselor offers.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall maintain respect for institutional policies and management functions of the agencies and institutions within which the services are being performed, but will take initiative toward improving such policies when it will better serve the interest of the client.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor, as educator, has a primary obligation to help others acquire knowledge and skills in dealing with the disease of alcoholism and drug abuse.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor who supervises others accepts the obligation to facilitate further professional development of these individuals by providing accurate and current information, timely evaluations and constructive consultation.
  4. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor who is aware of unethical conduct or of unprofessional modes of practice shall report such inappropriate behavior to the appropriate authority.

Principle 3: Competence
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall recognize that the profession is founded on national standards of competency which promote the best interests of society, of the client, of the counselor and of the profession as a whole. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall recognize the need for ongoing education as a component of professional competency.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall recognize boundaries and limitations of the counselor's competencies and not offer services or use techniques outside of these professional competencies.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall recognize the effect of impairment on professional performance and shall be willing to seek appropriate treatment for oneself or for a colleague. The counselor shall support peer assistance programs in this respect.

Principle 4: Legal and Moral Standards
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall uphold the legal and accepted moral codes which pertain to professional conduct.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall be fully cognizant of all federal laws and laws of the counselor's respective state governing the practice of alcoholism and drug abuse counseling.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not claim either directly or by implication, professional qualifications/affiliations that the counselor does not possess.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall ensure that products or services associated with or provided by the counselor by means of teaching, demonstration, publications or other types of media meet the ethical standards of this code.

Principle 5: Public Statements
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall honestly respect the limits of present knowledge in public statements concerning alcoholism and drug abuse.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor, in making statements to clients, other professionals, and the general public shall state as fact only those matters which have been empirically validated as fact. All other opinions, speculations, and conjecture concerning the nature of alcoholism and drug abuse, its natural history, its treatment or any other matters which touch on the subject of alcoholism and drug abuse shall be represented as less than scientifically validated.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall acknowledge and accurately report the substantiation and support for statements made concerning the nature of alcoholism and drug abuse, its natural history, and its treatment. Such acknowledgment should extend to the source of the information and reliability of the method by which it was derived.

Principle 6: Publication Credit
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall assign credit to all who have contributed to the published material and for the work upon which the publication is based.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall recognize joint authorship and major contributions of a professional nature made by one or more persons to a common project. The author who has made the principal contribution to a publication must be identified as first author.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall acknowledge in footnotes or in an introductory statement minor contributions of a professional nature, extensive clerical or similar assistance and other minor contributions.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall in no way violate the copyright of anyone by reproducing material in any form whatsoever, except in those ways which are allowed under the copyright laws. This involves direct violation of copyright as well as the passive assent to the violation of copyright by others.

Principle 7: Client Welfare
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall promote the protection of the public health, safety and welfare and the best interest of the client as a primary guide in determining the conduct of all Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselors.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall disclose the counselor's code of ethics, professional loyalties and responsibilities to all clients.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall terminate a counseling or consulting relationship when it is reasonably clear to the counselor that the client is not benefiting from the relationship.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall hold the welfare of the client paramount when making any decisions or recommendations concerning referral, treatment procedures or termination of treatment.
  4. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not use or encourage a client's participation in any demonstration, research or other non-treatment activities when such participation would have potential harmful consequences for the client or when the client is not fully informed. (See Principle 9)
  5. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall take care to provide services in an environment which will ensure the privacy and safety of the client at all times and ensure the appropriateness of service delivery.

Principle 8: Confidentiality
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor working in the best interest of the client shall embrace, as a primary obligation, the duty of protecting client's rights under confidentiality and shall not disclose confidential information acquired in teaching, practice or investigation without appropriately executed consent.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall provide the client his/her rights regarding confidentiality, in writing, as part of informing the client in any areas likely to affect the client's confidentiality. This includes the recording of the clinical interview, the use of material for insurance purposes, the use of material for training or observation by another party.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall make appropriate provisions for the maintenance of confidentiality and the ultimate disposition of confidential records. The counselor shall ensure that data obtained, including any form of electronic communication, are secured by the available security methodology. Data shall be limited to information that is necessary and appropriate to the services being provided and be accessible only to appropriate personnel.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall adhere to all federal and state laws regarding confidentiality and the counselor's responsibility to report clinical information in specific circumstances to the appropriate authorities.
  4. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall discuss the information obtained in clinical, consulting, or observational relationships only in the appropriate settings for professional purposes that are in the client's best interest. Written and oral reports must present only data germane and pursuant to the purpose of evaluation, diagnosis, progress, and compliance. Every effort shall be made to avoid undue invasion of privacy.
  5. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall use clinical and other material in teaching and/or writing only when there is no identifying information used about the parties involved.

Principle 9: Client Relationships
It is the responsibility of the Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor to safeguard the integrity of the counseling relationship and to ensure that the client has reasonable access to effective treatment. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall provide the client and/or guardian with accurate and complete information regarding the extent of the potential professional relationship.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall inform the client and obtain the client's agreement in areas likely to affect the client's participation including the recording of an interview, the use of interview material for training purposes, and/or observation of an interview by another person.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not engage in professional relationships or commitments that conflict with family counselors, friends, close associates, or others whose welfare might be jeopardized by such a dual relationship.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not exploit relationships with current or former clients for personal gain, including social or business relationships.
  4. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not under any circumstances engage in sexual behavior with current or former clients.
  5. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not accept as clients anyone with whom they have engaged in sexual behavior.

Principle 10: Interprofessional Relationships
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall treat colleagues with respect, courtesy, fairness, and good faith and shall afford the same to other professionals.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall refrain from offering professional services to a client in counseling with another professional except with the knowledge of the other professional or after the termination of the client's relationship with the other professional.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall cooperate with duly constituted professional ethics committees and promptly supply necessary information unless constrained by the demands of confidentiality.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not in any way exploit relationships with supervisees, employees, students, research participants or volunteers.

Principle 11: Remuneration
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall establish financial arrangements in professional practice and in accord with the professional standards that safeguard the best interests of the client first, and then of the counselor, the agency, and the profession.

  1. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall inform the client of all financial policies. In circumstances where an agency dictates explicit provisions with its staff for private consultations, clients shall be made fully aware of these policies.
  2. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall consider the ability of a client to meet the financial cost in establishing rates for professional services.
  3. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not engage in fee splitting. The counselor shall not send or receive any commission or rebate or any other form of remuneration for referral of clients for professional services.
  4. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor ,in the practice of counseling ,shall not at any time use one's relationship with clients for personal gain or for the profit of an agency or any commercial enterprise of any kind.
  5. The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall not accept a private fee for professional work with a person who is entitled to such services through an institution or agency unless the client is informed of such services and still requests private services.

Principle 12: Societal Obligations
The Professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor shall to the best of his/her ability actively engage the legislative processes, educational institutions, and the general public to change public policy and legislation to make possible opportunities and choice of service for all human beings of any ethnic or social background whose lives are impaired by alcoholism and drug abuse.

From:
The National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors code of ethics. Language is identical except that reference to NAADAC members was replaced with "professional alcohol and drug abuse counselor."


NAADAC is comprised of members who, as responsible health care professionals, believe in the dignity and worth of human beings. In the practice of their profession they assert that the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and justice must guide their professional conduct. As professionals dedicated to the treatment of alcohol and drug dependent clients and their families, they believe that they can effectively treat its individual and familiar manifestations. NAADAC members dedicate themselves to promote the best interests of their society, of their clients, of their profession, and of their colleagues.

NAADAC grants permission for other professionals, associations and certifying bodies to use this code of ethics. NAADAC shall be referenced in writing as the source when using any or all parts of this code. Any changes from NAADAC's original code must be noted.

printed for personal use with permission from naadac
copyright © naadac
all rights reserved

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Filing a complaint:
To file an ethical complaint against a certified and/or licensed substance abuse counselor, please visit www.vtprofessionals.org or call 1-802-828-2363.

To review information regarding drug and alcohol counselors where charges alleging unprofessional conduct were filed, go to the Unprofessional Conduct Decisions page maintained by the Vermont Secretary of State and scroll down to Drug & Alcohol Counselors.

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Clinical Supervisor Ethics

CODE OF ETHICS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE CLINICAL SUPERVISORS (CS)
1. Code of Ethics:
This code of ethics applies to Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Substance Abuse Professionals who are credentialed as Certified Clinical Supervisors (ATOD/CS) and applies to their conduct during the performance of their clinical duties as supervisors.

2. Supervision:
Supervision is a disciplined, structured and defined clinical activity. It has a parallel, but linked relationship to education, consultation, administration and research. It is a necessary, significant and meaningful aspect of the delivery of ethical, competent, humane, and appropriate services to clients/consumers.

3. Rules of Conduct:
These ethics constitute the standards an ATOD/CS should maintain. These ethics shall be used to aid in resolving any ambiguity, which may arise in the application and interpretation of these rules.

4. Competence:
An ATOD/CS shall limit practice to areas of competence in which proficiency has been gained through education or documented experience or through the awarding of a reciprocal professional certification or license. An ATOD/CS shall accurately represent areas of competence, education, training, experience and professional affiliations in response to responsible inquiries, including those from appropriate boards, the public, supervisees, and colleagues. An ATOD/CS shall aggressively seek out consultation with other professionals when called upon to supervise counseling situations outside their realm of competence. An ATOD/CS will refer supervisees to other professionals when they are unable to provide adequate supervisory guidance to the supervisee.

5. Client Welfare and Rights:
The primary obligation of an ATOD/CS is to train S/A counselors to respect the integrity and promote the welfare of their clients. ATOD/CS should have supervisees inform and receive permission from clients that they are supervised and that details of their treatment may be discussed or reviewed with a supervisor. Any audio or video taping of a client/consumer’s treatment must be authorized in writing. An ATOD/CS should make supervisees aware of client’s rights, including protecting client’s rights to privacy and confidentiality in the counseling relationship and the information resulting from it. Clients should also be informed that their right to privacy and confidentiality will not be violated by the supervisory relationship. Records of the supervisory relationship, including interview notes, test data, correspondence, the electronic storage of these documents, audio and video recordings are to be treated as confidential materials. Written permission for use of these materials outside of the supervisory session must be granted in writing by the client. An ATOD/CS is responsible for monitoring the professional actions of their supervisees. An ATOD/CS is responsible for monitoring the professional actions of their supervisees. An ATOD/CS is responsible for the presentation of adequate training for all supervisees in the area of transference, dual relationships, cultural sensitivity and professional deportment.

6. Professional Behavior:
Due to the unique scope of practice S/A counselors provide, ATOD/CS must monitor the following behaviors of their staff and themselves:

  1. Conviction for the possession or use of any illegal drug, narcotic or mood altering substance.
  2. The use of intoxicants and/or non-physician prescribed and monitored mood-altering substance when engaged in professional pursuits.
  3. The conducting of intimate, personal, and/or business relationships of any kind with any client or their families. This applies to all clients. A supervisee should have all relationships of this kind reviewed. An ATOD/CS should consult with an objective peer when the issue is raised.
  4. ATOD/CS Counselors who are members of Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotic Anonymous, Al-Anon, etc. shall not become a sponsor to any active, discharged client or family member.
  5. ATOD/CS Counselors are in violation of this code and are subject to revocation and/or other appropriate action if they:
    1. Are convicted of any felony
    2. Are convicted of a misdemeanor related to their qualifications or functions
    3. Engaged in conduct that could lead to a conviction of a felony or misdemeanor related to their qualifications and/or function
    4. Are expelled or disciplined from any other professional organization
    5. Have their license or certification revoked, suspended or disciplined by a regulatory body
    6. Shall refuse to seek treatment if deemed impaired
    7. Fail to cooperate in any ethical complaint investigation
  6. ATOD/CS respects the dignity and protects the welfare of participants in research and are aware of regulations and professional standards governing research including informed consent.
  7. ATOD/CS makes financial arrangements with clients, third party payers and supervisees that are understandable and conform to accepted professional practices. Supervisors do not allow the agency and/or supervisees to accept payment for referrals. Clinical Supervisors disclose any fees to the clients and supervisees at the beginning of services and represent facts truthfully to clients, third party payers and supervisees.
  8. ATOD/CS Counselors accurately represent their level of competence, education, training and experience relevant to their role of supervision and clinical experience. The Clinical Supervisor assures that any advertisement and/or promotional material accurately conveys information that is necessary for the public to make an informed choice for selection of services.


7. Supervisory Role:
Inherent and integral to the role of supervisor are responsibilities for monitoring of client welfare, insuring compliance with relevant legal and professional standards of service delivery, monitoring clinical performance and professional development of supervisees and evaluating and certifying current performance and potential of supervisees for academic, screening, selection, placement, employment, and credentialing purposes.

  1. The Clinical Supervisor must maintain professional decorum and standards. Unprofessional behaviors outlined in #6 above will not be tolerated.
  2. An ATOD/CS should pursue professional and personal continuing education activities to maintain their AOD/CS credential and to improve their supervisory skills. Competency in the Four Performance Domains of ATOD Clinical Supervision must be maintained.
  3. An ATOD/CS shall make their supervisees aware of professional and ethical standards and legal responsibilities of the counseling profession. In the absence of agency or state policy industry standards of ethical behavior should be explained to the supervisee.
  4. An ATOD/CS should strive to enable supervisees to be competent, autonomous, professional, judicious, aware of limitations and to become future supervisors if that is an appropriate career goal.
  5. Procedures for contacting the supervisor, or an alternative supervisor, to assist in handling crisis situations should be established and communicated to supervisees.
  6. Actual work samples via audio, counselor report, video or observation should be part of the regularly scheduled supervision process.
  7. Supervision is maintained through regular face-to-face meetings with the supervisee in group or individual sessions.
  8. An ATOD/CS should provide supervisees with ongoing feed back on their performance.
  9. An ATOD/CS who has multiple roles (e.g., teacher, clinical supervisor, administrator, etc.) with supervisees should avoid any conflict of interest caused by these disparate roles. The supervisee should know the limitations placed on the AOD/CS and the supervisor should share supervision when appropriate.
  10. An ATOD/CS should not participate in any form of sexual contact (including sexual harassment and sexual advances) with supervisees. Supervisors should not engage in any form of social contact or interaction, which would compromise the supervisor-supervisee relationship. Dual relationships (including outside consultants, partnerships, nepotism, etc.) with supervisees that might impair the supervisor’s objectivity and professional judgment should be avoided and/or the supervisory relationship terminated.
  11. ATOD/CS shall not use the supervision process to further personal, religious, political or business interests.
  12. ATOD/CS should not endorse any treatment that would harm a client either physically or psychologically.
  13. An ATOD/CS should not establish a psychotherapeutic relationship as a substitute for or as an addition to supervision. Personal issues should be addressed in supervision only in terms of the impact on these issues on clients and on professional functioning.
  14. An ATOD/CS should never supervise past or current clients who are staff or their families.
  15. An ATOD/CS should model appropriate use of supervision themselves for problem solving and practice review.
  16. An ATOD/CS must be straightforward with supervisees about observed professional and clinical limitations of the supervisee. These concerns must be clearly documented and shared with the supervisee.
  17. An ATOD/CS who is a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al Anon, etc., should never sponsor a supervisee.
  18. An ATOD/CS should not endorse a supervisee for certification or credentialing if the supervisor has documented proof of impairment or professional limitations that would interfere with the performance of counseling duties in a competent and ethical manner. The presence of any such impairment should begin with a process of feedback and remediation whenever possible so that the supervisee understands the nature of the impairment and has the opportunity to remedy the problem and continue with his/her professional development.
  19. An ATOD/CS should incorporate the principles of informed consent and participation; clarity of requirements, expectations; roles and rules; and due process and appeal into the establishment of policies related to progressive discipline.
  20. An ATOD/CS must be able to integrate the 12 Core Functions of Substance Abuse Clinical Competency into their theoretical and supervisory approach. A clear understanding of the 46 Global Criteria is essential.
  21. An ATOD/CS ensures the professional quality of the program that their supervisees participate in.
  22. An ATOD/CS should be an active participant in quality assurance and peer review.
  23. The supervision provided by an ATOD/CS must be provided in a professional and consistent manner to all supervisees regardless of age, race, national origin, religion, physical disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital, social or economic status. When a supervisor is unable to provide non-judgmental supervision a referral to an appropriate supervisor with a complete explanation to the supervisee must be made.
    Inherent and integral to the role of supervisor are responsibilities for monitoring of client welfare, insuring compliance with relevant legal and professional standards of service delivery, monitoring clinical performance and professional development of supervisees and evaluating and certifying current performance and potential of supervisees for academic, screening, selection, placement, employment, and credentialing purposes. These ethics constitute the standards an ATOD/CS should maintain. These ethics shall be used to aid in resolving any ambiguity, which may arise in the application and interpretation of these rules. Supervision is a disciplined, structured and defined clinical activity. It has a parallel, but linked relationship to education, consultation, administration and research. It is a necessary, significant and meaningful aspect of the delivery of ethical, competent, humane, and appropriate services to clients/consumers.


This code of ethics applies to Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Substance Abuse Professionals who are credentialed as Clinical Supervisors (ATOD/CS) and applies to their conduct during the performance of their clinical duties as supervisors.

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Vermont Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board
P.O. Box 8566
Essex, VT 05451
Phone:  802-878-7776
Fax: 802-879-6211

Questions?  E-mail us.